Bounty

And I'm not talking about the paper towel brand that's the "quicker picker-upper." Today's blog post title is in reference to the bounty meaning "abundance" and "plenty."

This morning, I visited the local food bank to drop off a food donation. At my holiday party in December, I asked my friends to bring food donations of cereal, flour, oatmeal, cooking oil, soup, canned proteins, canned fruits, dry beans and rice, in lieu of Christmas or hostess gifts. I'm blessed with very generous friends and they brought enough food to fill two bags. I delivered the food today to my community food bank, the Arlington Food Assistance Center.

When I arrived, I was stunned by the number of people standing in line in the cold, waiting for their turn inside the food bank. They weren't homeless people as you might expect. Instead, they were working people with families who needed some help to keep their children and themselves nourished.

During my wait, I couldn't help thinking about the blessing of living a life of bounty. I'm not rich, but I can afford to live a life that is more than comfortable. So many are less familiar with such personal bounty.
Regardless of what the politicians might suggest, it is the moral responsibility of those with bounty to help those without. Looking at the downtrodden faces of those waiting for food, it was clear many of them did not want to be in that line this morning. If they could, they would much rather be able to just go to the grocery store and be able to purchase the food they need.

The saddest part of the experience was that I was the only food donor there at AFAC this morning. The need right now is so much greater than the resources available. If you should have a little extra in your pantry, please find your local food bank and make a donation. Your neighbors in need will appreciate it. Hopefully soon, the economy will make the turn for the better and we will have more food than the needy.